Figure 2.

ASD anxiety behaviors in Shank3^{ex13–16−/−} mice are prevented with supplementation of dietary zinc. (A) Increased anxiety-type behaviors in $Shank{3}_{30\text{ ppm}}^{\text{ex1}3-16-/-}$ mice, reflected as a reduced percentage time spent in the light chamber, was prevented in mutant mice fed 150 ppm dietary zinc ($Shank{3}_{150\text{ ppm}}^{\text{ex1}3-16-/-}$). (B) Heat map example of WT and Shank3^{ex13–16−/−} mice on 30 or 150 ppm dietary zinc. Note the significantly decreased time the $Shank{3}_{30\text{ ppm}}^{\text{ex1}3-16-/-}$ mice spend in the light, and how this increases in $Shank{3}_{150\text{ ppm}}^{\text{ex1}3-16-/-}$ mice. (C) $Shank{3}_{30\text{ ppm}}^{\text{ex1}3-16-/-}$ mice take significantly longer to first exit the dark chamber (latency), reflecting heightened anxiety, and this was prevented in mutant mice fed 150 ppm dietary zinc ($Shank{3}_{150\text{ ppm}}^{\text{ex1}3-16-/-}$). (D) The number of transitions between the light and dark chambers are significantly reduced in $Shank{3}_{30\text{ ppm}}^{\text{ex1}3-16-/-}$ mice, but no longer significantly different from WT controls in Shank3^{ex13–16−/−} mice fed 150 ppm dietary zinc. All data represent mean ± SEM. Statistics: one-way ANOVA with Dunnett’s post hoc test. WT_{30 ppm} n = 10, $Shank{3}_{30\text{ ppm}}^{\text{ex1}3-16-/-}$ n = 7, WT_{150 ppm} n = 8, $Shank{3}_{150\text{ ppm}}^{\text{ex1}3-16-/-}$ n = 6 animals, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, NS, not significant.